Jake turned to stalk away but Bill followed him. “You may as well hear me out ‘cause I won’t leave you alone till you do. I can walk all night right behind your dumb butt.”
Realising Bill wouldn’t be swayed until he’d said his piece, Jake turned and glared at him. “Fine. Say what you have to say.”
Bill leaned against a fence post, looking Jake square in the eye. “I doubt you’ll like it, but I’m going to say it anyway. You’ve been carrying this anger round for far too long. You ought to be grateful what happened two years ago took place, you know that?”
Bill ignored Jake’s roar, holding up his hands to stay the younger man when he looked like he was going to charge off. “If it hadn’t happened Jake, you’d be married to that witch Victoria and she’d be making your life a misery by now. You’d have never even met Laura. Yes, you ought to be damn grateful you made a lucky escape.”
“Oh yeah! Real lucky. Did you forget what I told you earlier? About Dan and Laura?” Jake snarled.
”Use your head boy! And your eyes! If you weren’t so damn caught up in your anger and so sure Laura will hurt you too, you’d have already worked out that it wasn’t Laura having lunch with Dan.”
“How can you be so sure?” Jake snapped.
“Because I know who it was and if you think really hard, you’ll work it out too.”
Bill wandered off, leaving Jake to ponder his words. Was it possible that he’d got things wrong? If it wasn’t Laura having lunch with Dan, then who? He slumped to the ground, leaning his arms on his knees and running his hands through his hair, Jake began to think. The argument he and Kerry had had that first night suddenly skipped through his head like a movie and the answer hit him like a lightning bolt. Kerry!
How had he missed it? She’d set him up with the dating agency in the first place. That first night he’d been so sure she’d had a selfish reason for doing so, but in all that had happened since, he’d forgotten about it. She must have told Laura. That was the reason Laura hadn’t let things go. She knew that Kerry had a thing for Dan and she’d been trying to help her. It made sense.
He began to laugh and cry at the same time. Relief flooded through him as he suddenly saw what he’d previously missed. One thing stood clear. Laura hadn’t betrayed him. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Kerry and Dan, but he couldn’t work that out right now. He needed to focus on Laura.
Shame filled him as he recalled the terrible things he’d said that evening. He saw her again, standing there before him looking so very beautiful. Her face had shone with a happy welcome, the table so beautifully set. The incredible smell of dinner in the air. Then later, she had looked so hurt, so crushed by his cruel words. Why couldn’t he have seen that? Believed in what she’d told him? He’d let his anger rule his head, but never again. He had a lot of making up to do. He got up and walked back to the house. It was dark in the kitchen. He put on the light and began to tidy up the mess he’d made. Tomorrow, he’d put things right. He just hoped Laura would be able to forgive him and give him another chance.
*****
“Well, hopefully that will start to fix things!” Lotta remarked as she slumped onto the kitchen counter and watched Jake clean things up. “So much for being able to leave in a day or two.”
“Couldn’t we have done something a bit more……..exciting?” Flo grumbled. “Getting Bill to talk to him and playing back his and Kerry’s argument seems so tame. Bit of an anti-climax don’t you think?”
“Nonsense!” Huffed Lotta. “It’s good solid magic.”
“It’s boring magic you mean. We could tidy up the kitchen for him.” She swiped her wand at the wine spill. With a shower of sparkles it vanished.
“Don’t do that Flo!” shrieked Lotta, promptly putting it back again. “Just how would that blend in may I ask? What would Jake think if it suddenly just wasn’t there? Thank the stardust he was looking the other way!”
Flo sniffed indignantly, folding her plump arms across her ample bosom. “We’ll have to come up with a plan to get them talking again. Laura might not want to forgive him. Have you thought of that?”
“I’ll just whip up a little spell of inspiration. I’m sure we can get them back on track in no time. I am very pleased he hasn’t blown up with the realisation that Kerry loves Dan. That is a very good sign, don’t you think?” Lotta glanced at Flo expectantly.
“Does it have to only be an inspirational spell? Can’t we come up with something else a little more creative?” she asked hopefully.
“No Flo. Do not mess with my plan! This time I’m the one who has the perfect one!” Lotta insisted. “We’ll be finished soon. You’ll see.”
Flo wasn’t so sure, thinking deeply. Just in case.
Chapter Ten
Laura got up late; exhausted. She hadn’t slept a wink through the whole night. She’d gone over and over the argument she’d had with Jake, crying her way through an entire box of tissues. Her eyes felt gritty and sore from all her tears.
She called and left a message for Martha that she was running late. She knew she was being a coward, but she refused to run the risk of bumping into Jake by getting up her normal time. She just hoped Martha would understand. Padding into the bathroom, she groaned at her reflection in the mirror. She looked a complete mess. Her face was swollen and blotchy from her hours of crying. No amount of make-up was going to fix this!
She had no idea how she would face the diner. She didn’t feel like being with anyone right now. She wondered if she could get away with hiding in her room, but no doubt Kerry or Bill would come and find her if she tried. She was surprised they hadn’t already been banging on her door. They must have seen the state of the kitchen by now. At least Bill would have, she wasn’t sure Kerry had come home last night. She hoped she hadn’t.
She felt bad that she hadn’t got up to clean up, but she simply hadn’t wanted to see anyone. She really didn’t want to talk to them about what had happened the night before. Especially Kerry. Her friend was so happy right now, she didn’t want to spoil it with the events of the previous night. Kerry would no doubt feel guilty and end up confessing to Jake, which would probably result in all hell breaking loose. She just couldn’t face it. She was emotionally wrung out.
Laura stepped into the shower, letting the piping hot water pour over her sore head, soothing away the terrible night she’d had and reviving her a little. She wasn’t sure where to go from here. She’d decided at some point in the long hours before sunrise that she needed to find somewhere else to live, temporarily. Staying on the ranch was no longer an option. She would get a more permanent home when she sold her mother’s house back in England. Her Estate Agent had been keeping her informed and it looked like she might get a couple of offers soon.
In the short term, she could live off the money her mother had left her. It wasn’t ideal and wouldn’t last forever, but it would give her a start until Martha started paying her, which would hopefully be after the barn raising. She’d still have to attend that, since she was catering it for the diner, but other than that she should have no reason to have to still see Jake at all.
Mind made up, Laura dried off and got ready to face the day. She’d have to see about a place to live after working in the diner. She wondered if Martha had any ideas. Deep in thought, she wondered downstairs, certain the house would be empty since she was running so late. She stepped in the kitchen and stopped short.
Jake sat at the table, his arm leaning against the wooden top, one leg casually thrown over the other. No evidence of the events of the previous night were in sight; the kitchen was in its usual spotless condition. Jake gazed at her, looking extremely handsome in a clean soft blue shirt, denim trousers and boots. It simply wasn’t fair that he looked so good while she looked like hell. Had last night not bothered him at all? Her back stiffened, anger flowing though her like a tsunami. It looked like he’d been waiting for her. She refused to give him the chance to lay into her again.
“If you’re wait
ing for round two, don’t bother!” Her voice came out raspy, barely making a sound at all. She tried to clear her throat, not wanting to give away how badly she felt. “I’ll be leaving the ranch just as soon as I can. Until then, I think we should avoid each other.”
Jake’s heart nearly stopped in his chest. She couldn’t go, not now! He knew he’d hurt her badly. He’d never seen her look so closed and he hated that he was the reason for it. He got up slowly, shuffling from one foot to the other as he stood before her. “Laura, can we please talk?”
“About what? I think you already made it very clear last night exactly how you feel.” She looked away from him. Looking at him hurt too much. The last thing she wanted to do was to cry in front of him again. She did have some pride and her tears certainly hadn’t moved him in the slightest the night before.
“No, I didn’t. Last night I was talking from anger and hurt. You were right, I wasn’t seeing you; I was judging you by Victoria. It wasn’t fair. I want to get the chance to make things up to you and to apologise, if you’ll let me.”
“Why the sudden apology? Last night you were ready to rip me apart. I was caught having a romantic interlude with Dan, remember?” she glared at him, trembling with the force of her emotions.
“I was wrong. I realise that now.”
“Oh, how big of you!” she fumed. “What changed your mind?”
He looked uncomfortable. “I talked with Bill last night. He made me see things differently.”
“So, I tell you how wrong you are. Ask you to believe in me and you don’t. Instead you tell me you feel nothing for me and walk out on me. Then you talk to Bill and suddenly you believe me! Am I supposed to be grateful?” She turned to leave. “I have to go to work.”
He dove round her, grasping her shoulders in his hands. “Please Laura, don’t just walk out on me. I know I let you down, but I want to fix this. Just give me a chance.”
“That’s all I’ve wanted from you from the start, Jake. But you’ve kept this bitter anger that someone else caused you so firmly in place, you wouldn’t give me a chance. I wasn’t even the one who did it to you in the first place. How is that fair?” Tears gathered in her eyes. Laura blinked rapidly to clear them. She really couldn’t take crying anymore. She already felt sick.
Flinging his arms off her, she walked into the living room, grabbed her bag and left the house. Jake stood frozen to the spot, the sound of the front door banging shut sounded like a death toll to his ears.
He ran his hand through his hair. He had no idea where to go from here.
*****
“Looks like things may be working out on all sides!” Kerry smiled at Martha after having been told Laura wasn’t yet in work. She’d stopped by the diner to see Laura to fill her in on the amazing night she and Dan had spent together. They’d talked into the early hours, really sorting through the past. Kerry had got off her chest how she’d felt about him and Victoria. It had felt good and cathartic. She’d really appreciated him allowing her to unload the heavy burdens she’d still carried from that time. She’d felt so much lighter and so free when she’d finished. It had been hard for him to hear, but it had been an important part of letting go and moving on.
They had finally fallen asleep in each other’s arms after exhausting themselves with their emotional unburdening. She had no idea how she was going to break the news to Jake when she finally had to, but she and Dan had decided to wait a while until they’d had a chance to cement their relationship first. There didn’t seem any point rousing the beast just yet.
The last thing Kerry had expected was to walk into the diner and find out Laura wasn’t there yet. Last night must have gone really well between Jake and Laura. She couldn’t wait to hear the details.
“I don’t know about that honey. She called a little while ago to say she was running late and all I can say is she didn’t sound good.” Martha looked worried. “Fact is I’ve never heard her sound so bad. Her voice was so hoarse I hardly recognised it.”
Kerry sat on a stool at the counter, puzzled. The last she’d seen, Laura had seemed so happy. She’d left her making dinner for Jake when she’d gone to Dan’s. Laura had been singing and bustling round the kitchen, so excited with her surprise. What could possibly have gone wrong?
The door to the diner opened. Kerry turned, trying to stifle the gasp of horror at Laura’s appearance. She looked haggard, her eyes almost glowing red in her chalky white face. Dark circles under her eyes gave testament to a bad night’s sleep. She spotted Kerry, her face clearly displaying her dismay.
“I don’t want to talk about it, so don’t ask!” She whizzed by them to put her things in her locker. Kerry and Martha followed her.
“You can’t expect us to see you like this and not want to know what’s wrong,” Kerry pushed. “You were making dinner when I left you last night. What went wrong?”
Laura gave her a fierce glare. “I don’t want to talk about it Kerry. Please just leave me to work.” She flung her apron over her head, tied it with more force than necessary and proceeded to chop her way through a pile of vegetables at a speed that had Kerry fearing for her fingers.
“Is it Jake? What’s he done now?” she persisted.
Laura slammed her knife into the chopping board, pinning Kerry with her gaze. “I love you Kerry, but if you continue with this line of questioning, we are going to have a serious falling out. Do I make myself clear?”
Kerry glanced at Martha, who shook her head slightly, indicating with her eyes that they should leave.
“I’ll just leave you to it, then,” she said, swallowing the questions that threatened to spill out.
“Thank you.” Laura resumed her rapid chopping.
Kerry stepped out into the diner with Martha. “Whatever’s happened, she’s not ready to tell you. Best not to push her right now.”
Kerry hated to leave her friend in such a state. She desperately wanted to know what was wrong. It had to be Jake. There was nothing else.
“If she won’t tell me, I’m going to tackle my brother.” Kerry grabbed her bag, heading for the door.
“Are you sure that’s wise, honey?” Martha asked doubtfully. “He may be even worse than her.”
“I don’t care. I have to find out what went wrong and fix it.” Kerry slammed out, heading for her car. She slung it into drive and shot out onto the road, heading back to the ranch.
*****
Kerry pounced on him as soon as Jake arrived back at the stables from his wild ride, which normally helped him to clear his head, but things didn’t look any better. His mood had darkened considerably as his mind had flowed over all the events since Laura had arrived. He’d been a jerk and he knew it. Trouble was he had no idea how to fix it. His heart heavy, he jumped from his horses back, handing the reins over to a stable hand. He tried to march past her, but Kerry wasn’t having it.
“What did you do to Laura?” she demanded, her hands flying to her hips. “I’ve never seen her in such a state. What happened?”
Jake turned a glare towards his sister. She was the last person he wanted to see right now. “Maybe nothing would have happened last night if you’d had the guts to tell me about Dan!” he growled at her.
Her face went white. “What do you mean?” she stammered out, her hand flying to her chest.
“I saw Laura sitting at the diner with Dan, looking like she’d just had a romantic lunch with him. And all the time, it was you!” He pointed his finger at her chest, his anger mounting. “I accused her, ruined her dinner for us and threw my chances with her down the drain and all because my sister couldn’t be honest with me.”
She looked like someone had just punched her in the stomach. For a moment her mouth worked and nothing came out. Then she gathered herself together. “Can you blame me Jake? You’ve been so dead set against Dan, how could I tell you how I felt? You wouldn’t have understood.”
“Damn right I don’t. You must be crazy to give your heart to that low life cheating scum.
You want to throw yourself away on him, go right ahead. I won’t stop you. If you’ll excuse me, I have to try and salvage what’s left of my relationship with Laura, thanks to you and that jerk you insist on seeing.” He turned his back on her and walked away.
Kerry stood in shock, tears forming in her eyes. She blinked them back rapidly. She didn’t have time to give into such things. She’d had no idea that Jake had got the wrong impression about Dan and Laura. If she’d known she would have told him. No wonder Laura had looked so angry at the diner. Did she hate Kerry too?
She raced after Jake. “Please, let me help,” she begged, catching up to him. “I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble Jake. You know I didn’t. Truly I never told you about Dan because I didn’t want to hurt you and I was afraid you’d cut me out of your life. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you. I hoped I could tell you when you were happier. It seemed you’d be able to perhaps give me and Dan a chance if you had someone you loved in your life too. It’s the reason I joined the agency for you. That and wanting you to be happy again. It worked too. You found Laura.”
Jake turned back to his sister. “Yep, I found Laura and now I hope I haven’t just lost her. She was barely speaking to me this morning.”
“I’m sorry Jake. It’s the last thing I wanted. Please don’t hate me.” She begged, choking back her tears as they threatened to erupt again. She took in a ragged breath. “I just wanted the chance to be happy. Please understand.”
Jake gripped her gently and pulled her into a hug. He held her close as she fought to get herself under control. No matter how much he hated Dan, he couldn’t simply turn his back on her. He pushed her gently away from him and looked into her eyes.
“I don’t like Dan, I won’t ever like him, but I would never just turn my back on you. I might have blown up at first, tried to talk you out of your stupidity, but if I couldn’t have stopped you, I would still have been there for you. I don’t like it that you’re seeing him. I don’t trust him at all. But you know you can count on me if you need me.”
Wild Fire (The Fairy Tale Match Series) Page 16